Forgetting to turn on computer before the dive

[boulderjohn]

I'm perfectly happy going to PADI's maximum depth of 18m, as most people seem to believe it's PADI who sets the rules for all divers).

PADI and other agencies have stated that the recreational limit for OW outside of the training environment is 40m. 18m only applies to OW student divers during their courses. No agency can decide your dive depth limits once certified. Staying shallow if you have high gas consumption is always a good thing. You should have been prepared to plan your own dives during your OW course.

Blackcrusader is correct--PADI does not limit your dives to 18m, and even if they wanted to, they do not have the power to govern your dives. They suggest that you do not exceed that depth without further training and experience, but 1) that is a suggestion and 2) you have experience 30m, so you are at least reasonably close to having the necessary experience.

On the other hand, a dive operator does have the power to regulate the dives done under their guidance. They can set up their own rules that limit the depths of dives you do with them. Some dive operators will not allow you to do dives in the 30m range without some form of advanced certification, such as Advanced Open Water.

A few years ago, I was in a dive shop where a guy showed up to do a 30m dive, and he presented an OW certification card. They told him he could not do it without an advanced certification. He said that he was actually an assistant instructor, but he had been advised to just show an OW card for dives, and that was the only card he had with him. They tried to look him up online, but their Internet connection was down. The guy could only do the dive by hiring a DM to dive with him. The shop had no choice, because it was a policy dictated by its insurance.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

This is a bit more advanced than basic scuba, but I thought I would add it to the thread for the information value.

The worst-case scenario you will face is to have only one computer, no buddy to back you up (separation), and have your computer fail during a deeper dive where it is possible to get close to your NDL or where you might even require some decompression.

The solution for a worst-case scenario is also the solution to make sure your computer is on and working as you begin a dive.

As you descend down an anchor line or mooring line, you can check to see if there are any visual cues on the line around 10 ft/6m, 15 ft/4.5m, or 20 ft/6m such as a splice in the line, a change in material such as chain switching to rope, an imperfection, or anything that can be used that will put you in an approximate position for a safety or decompression stop should you become separated from your buddy, have no and have working computer or gauge. That way, if you ascend the line without a working computer, you just stop on the line when you reach your visual cue and estimate your safety or deco stop depths based on that. Suppose the line switched between chain and rope at 10 feet/3m. If you want to make a safety stop at 15 feet/4.5m, you estimate how far below the chain/rope switch you need to hold onto the line to be at the depth you want. To time your stop, you can count breath cycles. 12 breath cycles will be about 1 minute. If you want a 5-minute safety stop, you just count 60 breath cycles and then slowly ascend to the boat.

Being familiar with decompression tables such as the DCIEM tables that might stop you for 10 minutes at 20 feet and 10 minutes at 10 feet for a worst-case deco obligation within sport diving parameters might get you out okay.

Obviously, if your computer isn't on you are going to notice it when you check the anchor line for a depth reference clue as you begin your descent. You can ascend, turn it on, and resume the dive if you are comfortable. But you may want to adjust your dives that day to be shallower and shorter than you planned to cancel out the initial bounce to depth. If you want to be safer, you can surface and wait 10 minutes before descending and plan your dive(s) using tables.

 

[boulderjohn]

I hesitated to write this at first because the problem was corrected with the computers I use, but then I wondered if perhaps some computer I do not know has the same problem.

Quite a few years ago a friend who dived where we do most of our diving was a very early user of Shearwater. He noticed that the depth reading did not seem right. He contacted Shearwater, and they realized they had not built in adjustments for altitude. So they did put in their altimeter and made all the proper adjustments.

That was all a bit before I started using a Shearwater. When I did, I was at that same dive site with a student who was also using a Shearwater. After a weekend of diving, I contacted Shearwater because of a discrepancy in depth readings between our computers. Sometimes they read the same depth; sometimes they didn't.

What we found out was that it had to do with our predive preparations. We would of course make all the necessary adjustments to the computer and then make other preparations before diving. After a while, the computer would shut off on its own and then turn back on when we started the dive. If it turned on by itself on the dive, it reverted to its default altitude setting--sea level. If it was still on when we started the dive, it was adjusted to altitude. We had to make sure to turn the computer on before starting the dive to have it set for the proper altitude.

They saw that problem and fixed it so that it will be at its last altitude setting if it turned on during the dive, so it is no longer a Shearwater issue. I don't know if other computers work that way.

 

[ElizaDoolittle]

PADI and other agencies have stated that the recreational limit for OW outside of the training environment is 40m. 18m only applies to OW student divers during their courses. No agency can decide your dive depth limits once certified. Staying shallow if you have high gas consumption is always a good thing. You should have been prepared to plan your own dives during your OW course.

Is that so? I had the impression that the PADI OWD certification allows to go up to a maximum depth of 18 metres (for example, look here). And, PADI being the most extended agency, many dive centres won't let OWDs go deeper than that, no matter the agency which certified them and how many dives they have under their belt. I've seen that. As I said, I've never cared much about maximum depths, because even though I'm an ACUC diver and, therefore, I could dive down to 40 metres if I felt so inclined (I'm past the minimum number of dives they recommend) I still feel more comfortable diving shallow and I'm not going to argue with anyone about this. The deeper I've been is 25-27 metres, and that was in the last two dives of my OWD course.

 

[boulderjohn]

Is that so? I had the impression that the PADI OWD certification allows to go up to a maximum depth of 18 metres (for example, look here). And, PADI being the most extended agency, many dive centres won't let OWDs go deeper than that, no matter the agency which certified them and how many dives they have under their belt. I've seen that. As I said, I've never cared much about maximum depths, because even though I'm an ACUC diver and, therefore, I could dive down to 40 metres if I felt so inclined (I'm past the minimum number of dives they recommend) I still feel more comfortable diving shallow and I'm not going to argue with anyone about this. The deeper I've been is 25-27 metres, and that was in the last two dives of my OWD course.

This is a common misunderstanding dealt with frequently on ScubaBoard.

• PADI's training standards specify that instructors cannot take students deeper than that during the OW class.
• PADI's literature tells you that you should not exceed those limits without further training and experience. You can get that training by taking an AOW class. You can get that experience by gradually diving deeper and deeper. Either will work, and most people do both.
• PADI has no governing authority over what you do in your own diving after certification. They simply do not have the power to tell you what to do. How would they stop you? The depth limit is actually no more than a recommendation.
• Dive operators do have the power to limit what divers using their operation do, and some will limit divers to their official certification level. Many will require AOW for dives in the 100 foot range. That may be a requirement of their insurance policy. That is their decision, and it has nothing to do with PADI. They, may, however tell you that it is because of PADI policy so that you don't get mad at them.

 

[NovaCane]

This is a common misunderstanding dealt with frequently on ScubaBoard.

• PADI's training standards specify that instructors cannot take students deeper than that during the OW class.
• PADI's literature tells you that you should not exceed those limits without further training and experience. You can get that training by taking an AOW class. You can get that experience by gradually diving deeper and deeper. Either will work, and most people do both.
• PADI has no governing authority over what you do in your own diving after certification. They simply do not have the power to tell you what to do. How would they stop you? The depth limit is actually no more than a recommendation.
• Dive operators do have the power to limit what divers using their operation do, and some will limit divers to their official certification level. Many will require AOW for dives in the 100 foot range. That may be a requirement of their insurance policy. That is their decision, and it has nothing to do with PADI. They, may, however tell you that it is because of PADI policy so that you don't get mad at them.

I think the more relevant restriction is what YOUR dive accident insurance covers. As you state no one can stop you from diving to a given depth. However, the consequence is that your insurance may not cover you should you have an accident. What is DAN's policy for example? Do they cover up to a max recreational depth or is it variable based on certification level?

 

[Belzelbub]

I think the more relevant restriction is what YOUR dive accident insurance covers. As you state no one can stop you from diving to a given depth. However, the consequence is that your insurance may not cover you should you have an accident. What is DAN's policy for example? Do they cover up to a max recreational depth or is it variable based on certification level?

Probably good to check. DAN (US) does not seem to have a limit on depth. Maximum depth is listed as "No Limit". They do, however, exclude dives that are aimed at achieving endurance or depth records. So, as long as you aren't doing that should be covered.

Other insurance may be different. I would think the wording would be key. If they refer to Certification Limit, then that should mean 130'/40M for OW and up in the Recreational curriculum.

 

[boulderjohn]

I think the more relevant restriction is what YOUR dive accident insurance covers. As you state no one can stop you from diving to a given depth. However, the consequence is that your insurance may not cover you should you have an accident. What is DAN's policy for example? Do they cover up to a max recreational depth or is it variable based on certification level?

DAN has several different insurance policies, and what is available to you depends upon where you live and the insurance laws there. I have DAN's preferred plan, and I am covered to any depth.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is a site that compares dive insurance policies for different companies.

How Does Scuba Diving Insurance Work?

Scuba diving insurance protects divers from paying medical bills for life threatening injuries that may not be normally covered under health or travel insurance policies. As a general rule, the deeper you dive, the better the chance that insurance won’t cover the dive. The extra risks associated

www.forbes.com

 

[tursiops]

I think the more relevant restriction is what YOUR dive accident insurance covers. As you state no one can stop you from diving to a given depth. However, the consequence is that your insurance may not cover you should you have an accident. What is DAN's policy for example? Do they cover up to a max recreational depth or is it variable based on certification level?

I believe ALL policies/companies allow for 130-140 ft, some have no limitation.